Customer Reviews

Susan Graham - Songs of Ned Rorem

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

One of the most important American song composers, Ned Rorem, is well represented on this disc. Susan Graham gives very good readings of Rorem's most famous works, and Malcolm Martineau's excellent piano playing gives further life to the songs.

If you're interested in American song, this disc is a must-add to your collection.

This was better than I expected. Ned Rorem hasn't gotten the recognition he deserves, but he's one of the American treasures. You have to listen to these with an open mind about just what a "song" can mean. Yes, there are beautiful melodies, but what stands out is the fact that each song wonderfully illustrates the turns of the lyrical poems Rorem is using. the music doesn'tseem like an unnecessary addition, it's a perfect complement. Susan Graham has a radiant voice, but she also uses it smartly (much like a similarly gorgeous singer of today, Renee fLeming)and keeps it all sincere, never affected or cutesy. All told, a really interesting set for music lovers who are tired of the same old fare.

I cannot disagree with "A Music Fan"'s panning of this CD. Having first purchased the Hearing CD which he/she references, I reached the conclusion that Rorem's music was too knotty and "20th century" for repeated listenings and enjoyment. This CD with Susan Graham completely reversed my opinion. The songs are indeed chosen to be accessible, but they are much more than that. They are, simply stated, lovely. This is a disc I will play again and again, and has caused me to investigate many other Rorem CDs. I just came on line to buy it as a gift for a friend. Rorem deserves his due, and this disc gives it to him.

I bought "Songs of Ned Rorem" after hearing "Early in the Morning" played on WFMT. I have to admit I was hooked by the skillfully intertwining of the vocal and piano lines. The rest of the CD was no disappointment. "I Dream of Jeanie" is like no other version you may have heard, with the piano accompaniment playing a recurring octave pattern that remains thoughout a key change! Again the harmony and interplay between the vocal and piano score is fantastic! Having sung Randall Thompson's "Frostiana" version of Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," I was again taken by Rorem's sensitive accompaniment. Although Rorem's tempo is somewhat quicker than the Thompson setting, it is equally dramatic. "The Serpent" is downright amusing and the piano score, revealing Martin Martineau's technical skills, is downright awesome! I love Susan Graham's singing and MM's playing, enjoying the duo moreso than the selections with the instrumental ensemble. No reservations about the music selection -- this is a CD I will play repeatedly and discover anew each time. I would have liked a bit more description of each song in the liner notes, however, comments are more general than specific. Even if you're not a "mezzo" fan, (and I'm not), this CD is worth adding to your collection!

If Susan Graham is boring, then let me die of boredom. Listen to her silky voice and you're powerless. She's not only an incredibly talented singer but makes the words come alive. This is the real art of singing.

I'm a neophyte to Ned Rorem's work. To be honest I purchased this CD because I really enjoy listening to Susan Graham. Although I really love hearing Ms. Graham's opera performances, I find it refreshing to hear her singing something in English. I also appreciate how she's taken time to perform something other than opera. Susan Graham's performance of Ned Rorem's songs has me seeking out other performances of his work.

This long awaited release is both more important to the recording world and better sung than her excellent previous outing of Hahn songs. I never cared much before for Rorem's songs -- their skill was evident, but not their beauty. She needs to work on Ives next.Accompanist Martineau makes the whole thing fly with unfailing sympathy to the miniatures, always finding the appropriate emphasis. And if you can find Susan Graham's gorgeously inflected singing boring then perhaps Sarah Brightman or Mariah Carey would be more your cup of tea -- my God, man but this voice is gorgeous!

I am absolutely in love with Ned Rorem and Susan Graham! Her interpretation of these wonderful art songs is flawless. I wrote my Masters thesis on Ned Rorem and can't say enough about his brillant compositions! This CD is nothing short of pure enjoyment!

Ned Rorem is the last survivor, since the death of Virgil Thompson, of the long reach that Paris exerted over a generation of American expatriate composers, many of whom drifted overseas between the wars to study with the legendary Nadia Boulanger. Rorem's songs sometimes have American folk roots, but mostly he writes chansons, and like their French counterparts, his are crystalline, spare, sophisticated, and precisely defined emotionally.

If he were more tlaneted he might have wirtten masterpieces, but mostly this sounds like Samuel Barber on skim milk. Rorem often sets minor, if not trivial poetry. His lyrical gift is modest. But there's no doubt that he has been neglected, largely because of his stubbornly tonal conservatism, and now that tonality is repsectable again, he is being accorded last-minute honors. I'm glad for him, and his best work, which consists of his multi-volume memoirs, has added much to American culture. But even when skillfully sung by an artist of the caliber of Susan Graham, a hour's worth of Rorem's tiny jewel-like chansons is about twice too much at one sitting.

This is some of the best American singing I have heard in a long while. Her English diction is amazing. The songs are lush and beautiful, and I think she does wonderful interpretations of Rorem's work. Her high notes were light and lovely, which made me wonder why she is labeled as a mezzo.
She is now my inspiration.
Highly recommended for singers and music connoisseurs alike.